Strange Memories
by Made of Ossum
Summary: -CANCELED- Cindy's encounter with a strange, cloaked figure leaves her with amnesia. Will Jimmy be able to help her remember what happened before it's too late?
1. The Awakening

_I know what you're thinking. I'm sorry I haven't been updating my other fics at all lately, but I just have so much going on... So you're probably wondering what I'm doing starting another, huh? Well, the only reason I'm attempting this one is because I've already written and posted about seven chapters of it other places, so there'll be more pressure to write. I think I've pretty much given up on the other two by now._

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 1: The Awakening**

Down at the Retroville Hospital, a young girl stirred in a big white room.

"She's moving," a nurse whispered excitedly.

Slowly the girl opened her eyes. A look of confusion spread across her face as she glanced around at her surroundings.

"She's awake!" the same nurse exclaimed.

"Wh--where am I?" the girl asked. As she tried to sit up, excruciating pain shot through her head. "Ow," she moaned, laying back down. She reached her hand up and felt the thick white bandage.

"That's it, sweetie, lay back down," another nurse instructed, rushing to her side.

"What am I doing here?" the girl whispered.

"You don't remember?" the nurse asked. "I was told someone hit you with a shovel."

The girl furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "No, I don't remember anything," she finally said.

"Well, do you remember anything that happened before you were hit?"

"I just told you. I don't remember anything. At all."

"Trixie, go get the doctor," the nurse ordered. "We need to run the tests. I think little Cynthia might have…amnesia."

* * *

11-year-old boy genius, Jimmy Neutron, sat alone in the park, hugging his knees and watching the sunset. The events he had just witnessed were so awful that he didn't want to think about them. But they were the only things he could think about. Jimmy kept replaying the scenes in his mind, trying to imagine what he could've done to make the outcome different. His cybernetic canine, Goddard, was sitting at his side loyally. Jimmy had told Goddard to go home, but he knew he couldn't leave his master alone in this state.

Silently one lone tear trickled down Jimmy's cheek. "We should probably go home, Goddard," he whispered, however not making a move.

Suddenly Goddard started ringing.

Jimmy finally turned his head. "Speakerphone, boy," he instructed.

A man's voice came over the phone. "James Neutron?"

"Yes?" he replied sullenly.

"This is Police Chief McGinnis from the Retroville Police Force. You witnessed the attempted murder of Miss Cynthia Vortex, correct?" the chief asked.

"Correct," Jimmy confirmed sadly.

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Cynthia--"

"Died?" Jimmy frantically interrupted.

"No, no, nothing like that," Chief McGinnis assured him. "But we ran some tests and--"

"What kind of tests?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh, the usual. General examinations, tests for short and long term memory recall, other tests related to thought processing, blood tests, CT scans, cerebral angiography."

Jimmy gaped. So many tests, but why? "And these are the usual?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh, yes. The usual when you suspect amnesia," the chief replied.

"Amnesia?" Jimmy gasped.

"I'm afraid it's true. She doesn't remember a thing, which makes our investigation even harder."

Jimmy drew in a breath. If Cindy had amnesia, she didn't remember anything. Including him.

"Mr. Neutron, would you be interested in helping Miss Vortex get her memory back? You were, after all, the last person she saw. Seeing you again might trigger back some memories."

Thoughts flooded through his mind. This was his chance to help Cindy. This was his chance to help catch the idiot who had tried to kill her.

_And when I do catch him_, Jimmy thought, _I'll--_

"Mr. Neutron?" the chief asked.

"Oh, yes. Yes, I'll help," Jimmy agreed. "Cindy can count on me."


	2. The Hospital Visit

_OK, maybe I'll just put the other two on hold, and not get rid of them completely... But if I do start them back up again, I'll probably make some really big changes to the chapters I already had..._

_By the way, thanks for all the awesome comments!_

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 2: The Hospital Visit**

"Try not to get her too excited," the doctor warned. Jimmy was about to enter Cindy's hospital room for the first time. He bit his lip and nodded, bracing himself for what he was about to see when the door was opened.

"Cynthia, this is James Neutron, one of your classmates," Dr. Kaylee introduced him. "He's going to assist us in helping you recover, okay?"

The pale blonde girl nodded, her big green eyes studying this newcomer with interest.

"I'll leave you two alone," the dirty blonde haired physician said, stepping back out and closing the door behind her.

_She doesn't look so bad_, Jimmy thought. _In fact, she's barely changed at all, except for her complexion. And the fact that there's a huge bandage wrapped around her head._

Finally he broke the silence. "So…you don't remember me."

Cindy shook her head, her face etched with sympathy.

"I didn't think you would," Jimmy sighed.

"I'm sorry," Cindy whispered.

Jimmy gave her a rueful smile. "It's not your fault."

"I know. But, well, I just wish I did remember you," she replied. "You must be really nice if you care enough to help me recover like this." After a pause she asked, "Can you tell me about myself?"

If it wasn't for the circumstances, Jimmy would've laughed at a question like that. "Well," he began, "You're extremely intelligent."

"Go on," she encouraged him.

"You smell nice, and you distract me sometimes." This made Cindy laugh, which in turn caused Jimmy to beam with happiness. "You really rock at karate, and you're not afraid to speak your mind. You're very independent."

"What about my friends?" Cindy asked.

"Your very best friend goes by Libby, and she absolutely adores music. It's her life," Jimmy told her.

"Could you bring me a picture of her sometime?"

"Sure, no problem," Jimmy agreed.

"Um, what was your name again?"

"Jimmy."

"Right. So, Jimmy, do I have a, um,…boyfriend?" Cindy asked uncomfortably.

This sent him into an outrage. "What! Of course not! I mean, not that you wouldn't! But not that you would! I mean, you're very attractive, but--not that I think you're attractive! Why would I find you attracting? Uh uh, that would be silly, and--"

Cindy just sat there, looking confused.

"Sorry," said Jimmy sheepishly.

Suddenly Cindy's doctor came back into the room. "Okay, time's up," she said. "However, you're welcome to visit tomorrow if you like."

"Would you?" Cindy asked, a pleading look in her eyes.

"Definitely," Jimmy answered, taking her hand in his. "I'll be here first thing after school. I promise."

"Thanks," Cindy whispered.

* * *

Outside the room, Kaylee took Jimmy aside. "I heard that little outburst. You can't do things like that. It's not healthy for her to get so excited."

Jimmy's head dropped. He should've known better than to do something so foolish. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Kaylee sighed. "I know, but if it happens again I'm afraid we can't have you back. Understand?"

Jimmy nodded sullenly.

* * *

That night, Jimmy decided to call Sheen and Carl and let them know what was going on.

"She's in the hospital?" Carl asked worriedly.

"And she doesn't remember a thing?" Sheen said excitedly. "Do you know what this means?"

"She doesn't remember me?" Jimmy replied sadly.

"No! You can look in her diary!" he exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Jimmy asked exasperatedly. What did Cindy losing her memory have anything to do with her diary?

"Aren't you supposed to help her get it back?" Sheen tried to explain.

"Oh! I see what you're saying!" Carl burst out.

"Thank you! Took you long enough!" Sheen responded.

"I still don't get it," Jimmy said in bewilderment.

Sheen sighed.

"Well, Jim," Carl said, "You can look in her diary saying it'll help you help her. Get it?"

"And then we can spread her embarrassing moments around at school!" Jimmy could tell Sheen was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"Guys, that would be taking advantage of her situation," Jimmy scolded.

"Come on, Jimmy," Sheen pleaded. "You know it'll be worth it."

"I'll think about it, Sheen," Jimmy sighed, hanging up. Why had he picked his two friends out of all people to tell? Of course they didn't care in the least bit how Cindy was doing. He shook his head. They definitely wouldn't understand.


	3. Mortal Enemies

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 3: "Mortal Enemies"**

Almost immediately after Jimmy had hung up with Sheen and Carl, the police chief called.

"I wanted to make sure that you understood the incident involving Miss Vortex is completely confidential. I take it you haven't told anyone about her injury, or the fact that she's in the hospital recovering from amnesia," he said.

Jimmy gulped.

"You haven't, have you?" Chief McGinnis asked suspiciously.

"No, sir," Jimmy lied. He hoped his nervousness wasn't evident in his voice.

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

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Everyone noticed Cindy's absence the next morning.

"So much for her perfect attendance record," Brittany was saying. Jimmy bit his lip. Oh, yeah. He'd forgotten about how important that had been to her.

"I know where she is!" exclaimed Sheen. Jimmy frantically motioned for him to stop, but he didn't seem to notice. "She's--"

"Sick!" Jimmy blurted out, cutting him off. "She got so sick she couldn't be here today."

Libby raised an eyebrow. "Why would she tell you, but not her best friend?" she asked suspiciously.

"Um, I, uh…" Jimmy's mind went blank. How was he supposed to explain that? "Um, I called her and she was coughing and stuff."

Libby still didn't seem convinced. "And why would you be calling Cindy, exactly?"

"Yeah, Jim," Carl teased, winking at him.

_Oh, my gosh_, Jimmy thought. Why was Carl being such a dork? He had heard the truth last night, for Heaven's sake!

"Oh, I see," Libby smirked.

Jimmy rolled his eyes. "Oh, Libby! Strike a pose!" he suddenly burst out, pulling a Polaroid camera from his backpack. He aimed it at her.

"Huh?" Libby asked, confused. Even still, she smiled, placing one hand on her head and the other on her hip.

"Hey! Why are you taking pictures of my girlfriend?" Sheen demanded.

"It's for Cindy," Jimmy explained, waving the photo he had just snapped in the air.

"Boy, you been makin' no sense all day," Libby said, shaking her head in bewilderment. "Cindy's got millions of me an' her in her photo album."

Suddenly Jimmy got an idea. "Is her photo album in her room, by any chance?" he asked excitedly.

"Uh, yeah," Libby replied. "And you wanna know because…?"

"No reason," Jimmy responded quickly. He couldn't _wait_ for school to end.

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As soon as class let out, Jimmy was out the door and on his way to the hospital.

Dr. Kaylee was just exiting Cindy's room. "Oh, hello, James," she said, glancing up from her clipboard. "I'm sorry, but Cynthia is asleep at the moment. You'll have to drop by later."

Jimmy's face dropped. "Couldn't I just…" His voice trailed off as he gazed longingly at the closed door.

"Oh, all right," Kaylee sighed, giving in. "Just be sure not to wake her up."

"Thanks! You won't be sorry!" Jimmy promised, entering Cindy's room as quietly as possible.

Kaylee smiled after him, shaking her head. "I'm such a softie," she mumbled.

Jimmy tiptoed over to Cindy's bed. _She looks so peaceful_, he thought as he gazed at her. On a sudden impulse, he reached out his hand and softly stroked her hair.

Suddenly Cindy's eyes flickered open. "Ah!" she shrieked, bolting upright.

Jimmy jumped back.

"What were you doing, trying to give me a heart attack!" Cindy demanded, clutching her chest. "As if I didn't have enough problems with my head already!"

Jimmy was too stunned to speak. She was acting way different than last night. In fact, she was acting more like, well…_normal_ Cindy would.

"Sorry," Cindy sheepishly apologized. "I didn't mean to…you know."

"It's okay," Jimmy smiled back. It was funny. Cindy would've never apologized for yelling at him before.

"So, what, uh, were you doing?" she asked him.

"Nothing!" Jimmy blurted out, blushing.

Cindy just nodded, confused.

"Uh…I got you the picture," Jimmy said, changing the subject. He held up the photo he had taken of Libby earlier.

"Oh!" Cindy took it from him and examined it closely. "This is her?" she asked.

"Yep. Any flashbacks?" Jimmy asked hopefully.

Cindy scrunched up her face and closed her eyes. After a while: "No. Nothing."

Jimmy's face dropped. "I'm sorry, Cindy," he said quietly.

"Yeah. Me too."

"Is there something I could do to make you feel better?" he asked.

Cindy smiled. Just the thought that someone cared was enough. "No, but thanks for asking," she told him.

"You know, uh, it was kind of hard keeping your secret today," Jimmy commented.

"What secret?" Cindy felt like she was confused a lot of the time now.

"Uh, about you having, you know…" Jimmy tugged at his neckline.

"Amnesia?" Cindy finished. "I don't mind you saying it, you know. But why is it a secret?"

"I don't know, that's just what the police told me," Jimmy explained. "It's supposed to be confidential or something."

"I see," Cindy nodded.

"So, anyway, I didn't know that, and I told my best friends Sheen and Carl. Unfortunately, they're not the best at keeping secrets, so I had to make up some explanation for you not being at school," Jimmy went on. "But then Libby was all suspicious because I don't normally call you or anything…"

"Wait--what?"

"Oh, I told her I called you and you were coughing because she wanted to know why you'd tell me you were sick and not her," Jimmy said in one breath.

"I still don't quite understand."

"What part don't you understand?" Jimmy asked.

"Well, why would everyone be so surprised you called me? And why would it be a shock if I told you I was sick?" Cindy wondered aloud.

"Well, Cindy, there's a little something I forgot to mention…" Jimmy hesitated. "We're considered mortal enemies."


	4. Libby's Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 4: Libby's Nightmare**

"Enemies?" Suddenly Cindy's world seemed to stop. She was shocked, hurt, confused…. "Then why are you helping me?" she asked numbly, almost afraid of his reply.

Jimmy hesitated. He knew why, yet at the same time he didn't. There was some emotion that had been triggered in him which he couldn't define.

"Well, I kind of feel like it's my fault you got hurt," Jimmy finally spoke, even though, for some reason, he felt like it went deeper than that. "I mean, I was right there, and I could've stopped him before--"

"Jimmy, it's okay," Cindy interrupted. "I'm sure you didn't know what the person was doing. I know you would've done something sooner if you'd realized."

Jimmy smiled, relieved to know she didn't blame him. But deep down he still felt a pang of guilt.

"But I still don't understand why we're enemies. You seem so sweet," Cindy told him.

Jimmy blushed, then started to explain. "Well, you and I are both very…competitive, I guess is the word," he began.

"I see," Cindy nodded.

"And you hate being second best to anybody. You used to be the smartest kid in school before you moved here," he went on. "…And then you met me."

"So why didn't you tell me all this?" Cindy asked with a frown. "You're supposed to be helping me remember, not keeping secrets from me."

"I'm sorry," Jimmy apologized. "I guess I just…I don't know…"

"Promise me that from now on you won't keep anymore secrets from me," Cindy pleaded. "At least not intentionally."

Suddenly Jimmy felt very hot. He tugged on the neckline of his shirt and gulped. "Uh, yeah. I promise, Cindy." Inside he knew it was a lie. He knew there was still a secret he had never told her. That he _could_ never tell her.

Cindy smiled, oblivious, of course, to the fact that he was keeping something from her. "Thanks, Jimmy. That means so much to me."

Now feeling even worse, Jimmy decided it was time to change the subject. "You know, I had this idea…"

"Oh, really? What?" Cindy asked excitedly.

"Well, would you mind if I went through your things?" Jimmy asked, then quickly added, "I mean, for the sole purpose of getting your memory back!"

"That would be great," Cindy agreed.

Just then Kaylee came in. "Jimmy--," she started to say.

"Time's up, I know," he cut in. "Bye, Cindy, I'll be back tomorrow!" Jimmy waved and Kaylee escorted him out of the room.

"Much better today, Mr. Neutron," she said, nodding.

"Thanks," Jimmy smiled. "Um, Doctor, is there any way I could have access to Cindy's bedroom? Back at her house, I mean?"

Kaylee furrowed her eyebrows. "You'd have to talk to the police on that one, James," she informed him. "I don't have any authority concerning that specific issue. I just take care of Cynthia while she's here."

Jimmy nodded. "I understand. See you tomorrow."

* * *

As soon as he got home, Jimmy picked up the phone and dialed the number Chief McGinnis had left him.

"So, you want access to Miss Vortex's room, huh?" the chief asked, sounding quite amused.

"I figure I could bring some things back to her that might cause a memory trigger," Jimmy explained.

"Hm. Well, I suppose you have a point there. But I'll need to speak to her parents about it first. I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Chief McGinnis didn't call back for the rest of that day. The next day at school his answer was all Jimmy could think about. He sat in the cafeteria at lunch, playing with his food.

"Why don't you want us to tell anyone?" asked Sheen, breaking Jimmy from his daze.

"Huh? Tell anyone what?" Jimmy asked, confused.

"About"--Sheen looked around to make sure no one was listening--"Cindy," he whispered.

"Oh, because the police said no one's supposed to know," Jimmy answered. "I wasn't supposed to tell either of you."

"I get it," Sheen replied. "So, are you allowed to go in her room yet? I wanna take a look at her diary!" Apparently he didn't feel the need to be secretive any longer.

"Sheen!" Carl said. "Jimmy's probably real upset right now."

Sheen snorted. "Yeah, right. It's not like he cared about her before. Why should he now?"

"Sheen, she's in the hospital!" Carl reminded him.

"Right, so this is our chance to embarrass her!" Sheen pointed out.

"Don't you get it, Sheen?" Jimmy snapped. "Cindy is in the hospital! She has amnesia! She's recovering from a serious head injury, and all you care about is humiliating her!" By this time his breathing was heavy.

"Cindy's _what_!" Libby burst out from behind them. "Neutron! Hallway! Now!"

Jimmy gulped and rose from his seat. There was no way out this time. He's just tell one more person. That would be it.

"Now look what you've done, Sheen," Carl scolded.

"What?" Sheen replied. "You're mad at _me_? What did I ever do? All I did was point out that Jimmy could get his hands on Cindy's diary for us, but 'nooo'…"

* * *

"Spill, Neutron," Libby ordered, glaring at him fiercely. "I know something's up with my girl, and I mean to find out what it is _now_."

"I'm not supposed to say…," Jimmy weakly protested, knowing it was no use.

"Don't make me hurt you," Libby threatened.

Jimmy took a deep breath, then began. "Cindy…she was in the park…" Memories flooded back and he choked up.

"Go on," Libby pushed, a little less harsh this time.

"I tried to stop him, but…the shovel…she fell…" Jimmy rarely cried, but this was just to much for him. He was now on the verge of tears. "She's in the hospital, Libby! She has amnesia!"

Libby's eyes widened in horror. "What?" she gasped, falling against one of the lockers. "No…" This was too much to take. How could this have happened to her best friend? You always heard about this kind of thing on the news, but it was so different when it was someone you cared about.

"I'm sorry, Libby," Jimmy said softly.

"It's not your fault," Libby assured him, trying to hold back the tears, but to no avail. "But why didn't you tell me?"

Jimmy sighed. "I'm sorry, Libby. I was following orders."

"Whose orders?" she asked.

"The police. They're investigating her case. It wasn't an accident, you know."

Anger flooded Libby like a tidal wave. "You mean someone did this to her? On purpose?" she demanded.

Jimmy's head dropped. "Yeah," he whispered. "I saw it with my own eyes. And he wouldn't have stopped there if I hadn't screamed."

"Oh, Jimmy," Libby said softly. "Who would do such a thing?"

"A sick idiot, that's who."


	5. Cindy's Room

_Yes, I know it's been a long time. And I'm sorry. My mother got really annoyed with how much I love Jimmy Neutron, and on top of that she doesn't like romance. Go figure. But I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope I'll be able to finish the fic._

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**Disclaimer:** If I owned Jimmy Neutron, there would be a fourth season. But I don't, so let's hope there's going to be a fourth season anyway!

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**Chapter 5: Cindy's Room**

"Really?" Jimmy asked ecstatically.

"Yes," Chief McGinnis replied over the telephone. "Mr. and Mrs. Vortex will be home in an hour. They'll have a key to the house waiting for you."

"I get my own key?" Jimmy couldn't believe it. He'd always sensed that Mrs. Vortex didn't like him.

"It took some convincing, but I let them know that I thought it was best for Cynthia that you have unlimited access," McGinnis explained.

"Sweet," Jimmy muttered. Since when did this kind of opportunity ever arrive?

"Excuse me?"

"Uh, nothing. Thanks." Jimmy hung up the phone and waited as the hour slowly passed by.

* * *

"Thanks for coming with me, Libby," Jimmy said on the front porch of Cindy's house. "It makes me feel a lot less weird about snooping around in Cindy's room." 

"No problem," Libby replied. "Especially since Cindy would normally freak if she found out you were goin' through her stuff."

Jimmy smiled. That was so true. If Cindy was in her right mind, she'd kill him before he would be able to do anything like this.

"Of course, I'm not coming with you anymore after this," Libby reminded him.

Just then the door swung open.

"Hey, Mrs. Vortex!" Libby greeted Cindy's stingy mother.

"Yes, hello, Liberty," she replied, glaring at Jimmy. "James."

"M-M-Mrs. Vortex," Jimmy stuttered, starting to feel even more uncomfortable with the look she was giving him. Guess he'd sensed right after all.

"May we come in?" Libby asked politely.

As soon as Mrs. Vortex stepped back, Libby raced up the stairs, Jimmy following behind. At least Libby was in good favor with Mrs. Vortex, or they'd have never been able to get in.

"You should be able to remember which is hers," Libby said, motioning to a light pink plague on one of the doors that read "Cynthia's Room" in big, fancy cursive letters.

Once they were inside, Jimmy took a good look around at everything. Suddenly, in one swift motion, Libby dashed over to Cindy's bedside table and overturned a picture frame.

"What was that of?" Jimmy asked in bewilderment.

"It's nothing," Libby snapped. Her tone made Jimmy lose the urge to know.

"So, um…where's the photo album you were talking about?" Jimmy asked awkwardly, trying to change subjects.

"Oh! Hold on, I'll get it," Libby told him.

As she was fishing it out of Cindy's bookshelf, Jimmy walked over and sat down on Cindy's striped bedspread. His gaze rested on one of her pillows, and on a sudden impulse he picked it up and breathed in the heavenly scent.

"Mmm, jasmine," Jimmy sighed.

"What are you doing?" Libby asked, breaking him from his daze.

"Huh? Oh, uh, nothing!" Jimmy quickly exclaimed, immediately dropping the pillow he had been holding. _You're scaring even yourself now, Jimmy_, he thought to himself sheepishly. He felt a blush creep up his face.

Libby stared at him for a second, then handed him the album she was holding. "There. You can look at it if you want, I don't care."

"Not right now. Besides, it _is_ Cindy's, and I still feel kind of weird about this," Jimmy replied.

"Well, you better get used to it. Like I said before, you're gonna be doin' this on your own," Libby reminded him.

"I know," Jimmy responded. He sort of had mixed feelings about this whole deal. One part of him felt strange about looking through Cindy's stuff on his own, but the second part made him think he might actually enjoy it. He wasn't going to embarrass her like Sheen had suggested, but he could still have some fun, couldn't he?

* * *

Cindy was beginning to get frustrated with her condition. At first she had just felt sorry for herself, but now she was starting to get angry. It was annoying not being able to remember anything; needing someone to tell you about your past if you wanted to know anything about it at all. 

And not only that, but Kaylee had told her she might never recover.

"Will I have to spend my whole life here, then?" Cindy had asked.

"In the hospital?" Kaylee had answered with a laugh. "No, of course not. But it'll be sort of like starting your life over again."

Even if she did get better, Cindy knew there was a strong chance she'd never remember the event of the accident. That meant the culprit who was responsible for her injury might never be punished. It was hard, having to cope with all of this.

_At least I'll still have Jimmy_, Cindy thought.

Ah, Jimmy. He was another story. He had told her they were enemies, so…why did she dream about him? It almost felt like she had a crush on him, but it hadn't just developed. She had felt that way the minute he walked into the room. No, Cindy hadn't only thought that he was cute, she'd actually _felt_ something. She still did. That was unusual, wasn't it? It was almost like those feelings were natural. Like they had always been there.

_But that's impossible_, she told herself. _He made it clear that I hated him._

So why did she feel like she loved him?


	6. Cindy's Dream

_Another chapter! I hope it makes everyone happy. It's my favorite one that I've written so far. :)_

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 6: Cindy's Dream**

"Hey, Cindy," Jimmy greeted her cheerfully as he entered the room.

"Oh, hey!" she replied, suddenly feeling a little flustered.

"I brought you your photo albums," Jimmy said as he walked over.

"Thanks." Cindy took them from him. Both were pink, one with silver hearts and the other with silver stars. She opened the one with the star decorations first. Inside were pictures of she and Libby hanging out together. After she had looked at them all, she moved on to the second album. Instantly her mouth dropped open. "J-Jimmy?" she barely managed to say.

"What?" he asked, a frown appearing on his face.

"I don't have a boyfriend, right?"

"Of course not! I already told you that!" Jimmy burst out, suddenly defensive. What were those pictures of, anyway? _Probably Nick,_ he mused, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Cindy laughed.

"May I ask what you find so hilarious?" Jimmy asked her.

"Oh, nothing." Cindy paused. "You just look so cute when you do that!" She giggled once more.

This time it was Jimmy's mouth that dropped open. Cindy would never say that in a million years! Let alone think it! _But this isn't the old Cindy,_ Jimmy reminded himself. _She doesn't know any better. That's all._

"Um, Jimmy?" Cindy asked, laying the picture book to the side and looking up at him.

"Yeah?" he replied cautiously, still a little freaked out by the last thing that had come out of her mouth.

"I was wondering… Could I tell you about the dream I had last night?" Cindy bit her lip, waiting for his response.

"Sure, why not?"

"Cool!" Cindy sat up and swung her legs around to the side of the bed.

"So…what happens?" asked Jimmy.

"Well, it starts out with me and this cloaked figure in the park," she began. Jimmy gasped. Could this dream be a memory of…The Incident? "He asks me if I want to die, and then he lifts up this _huge_ shovel."

Jimmy nodded, intrigued. "Go on."

"And then, you came up and, like, hypnotized him or something so he'd go away." Cindy paused.

"What happens next?" Jimmy urged her.

"Well…" Cindy hesitated. "I'd kind of have to _show_ you…"

"Show me?" Now he was confused. What could _that_ mean?

"Yeah," Cindy blushed. "Come here." Jimmy took a step towards her. "No, closer."

He gulped nervously and took another step. Next thing he knew, Cindy's arms were wrapped around him. "Um, C-Cindy? What are you doing?"

"Shh," she quieted him. "You'll spoil the moment."

Jimmy tensed up as she came so close that they were practically touching noses. Slowly, her lips were on his, and he felt himself relax. But only for a moment.

"Mr. Neutron!" Dr. Kaylee shrieked from behind them, causing him to jump about ten feet in the air.

"I-It's not what you think!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"I am absolutely _appalled_ at this behavior!" she went on.

"It - it was my fault!" Cindy burst out. "Jimmy didn't want to! I mean, I - I just kind of did it! I'm sorry!"

"I don't care whose fault it was, or how it happened. All I know is James has been causing way too much trouble ever since he has started 'helping' you," Kaylee reminded her. "I think you'd be better off without him being here."

"No!" Cindy cried out. "You don't know what you're saying!"

"I do know," Kaylee said calmly. "And I also know that I won't be allowing James to visit you anymore."

"You can't do this!" Cindy sobbed. "Jimmy's the only one who really _knows_ me!"

"So I see," Kaylee replied shrewdly.

"But he's helping me! I need him!"

"Oh, he's helping you, is he?" Kaylee asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "How? By smooching all over you? I don't think so."

"I already _told_ you it wasn't him! It was _me_!"

"Yes, but it wouldn't have happened had he not been here."

"Please, just let him stay," Cindy pleaded softly, her big green eyes filled with tears.

That definitely hit Kaylee's weak spot. "Well, maybe I _could_ give you two a second chance," she sighed, reluctantly giving in. "But one more incident like this and he's gone. Understand, James?"

"Yeah," Jimmy said quietly, looking down at his feet in embarrassment.

"Fine. I'll be back in a few minutes when it's time for you to go," Kaylee told him. And with that, she was gone once again.

After an awkward silence, Cindy spoke up. "I'm sorry."

Jimmy looked up at her and smiled weakly. "You didn't know she would come in."

"But you didn't want to kiss me…" Cindy sighed sadly, tears filling her eyes. "You hate me."


	7. Libby's Visit

_Here's another chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. It'll probably be the last for a while._

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**Disclaimer:** Must you remind me? I don't own Jimmy Neutron!**

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**Chapter 7: Libby's Visit**

Cindy lay curled up on her side, tears streaming down her face. Why had she done such a stupid thing? She knew he hated her; hadn't he already made it very clear?

In fact, he had just confirmed it with his recent behavior. No apology, no reassuring "I don't hate you, Cindy." He had just walked out the door, simple as that. As if nothing had ever happened. As if he didn't know her heart was breaking in two at the very moment she had said those three little words. Maybe it would've been better if Kaylee _had_ forced him to leave.

* * *

This was way more scary than having to face a dangerous villain, there was no doubt about that. What exactly was he supposed to do? Cindy was acting, well… like she _liked_ him or something. But she couldn't possibly! No, she couldn't… Could she?

_But why would she?_ Jimmy asked himself. _Even if she doesn't see why we should be enemies, it's not like she ever liked me before we started fighting on a regular basis._

It was all so confusing. And then she had said the thing about hating her! He was _supposed_ to hate her! What did she want him to say to that? Maybe he didn't really hate her as much as he used to, but… Did she really expect him to tell her he didn't hate her at all? _She_ was the one who had told him not to lie to her. So, what, she wanted him to now?  
_But maybe it wouldn't have been a lie. Maybe I do— _Jimmy clamped a lid on the thought. He didn't like her. No, definitely not. He was just helping her because he felt guilty, that was all. It was nothing more than that.

But, still, he couldn't just keep all of this to himself, could he? He needed to talk to someone about how Cindy had suddenly started acting. Carl and Sheen would just laugh and make fun of him if he told them she had kissed him. But...what about Libby?

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Libby demanded as she strutted into Cindy's hospital room.

Cindy looked up at her in confusion. "E-excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry," Libby sheepishly apologized. "Here you don't even know who I am, and that's the greetin' I give you."

"No, I know who you are," Cindy replied.

"You do?" Libby asked excitedly. "You mean you remember me?"

"No, but Jimmy told me about you. We're best friends, right? Or at least we used to be…" Cindy's voice trailed off.

Libby's face dropped. "Oh, I see. And, yeah, we're still best friends. No need to worry about that."

Cindy smiled. "I'm glad. But, what exactly were you talking about when you came in?"

"Oh, that. Well, Cindy… Do you mind if I sit here?" At Cindy's shake of her head, Libby took a seat at the end of her bed. "Look," she went on. "You and Jimmy_—_"

"Hate each other," Cindy snapped, interrupting.

Libby looked at her in surprise. "Well, yeah, but_—_"

"Look, I'd rather not discuss it. I don't think I want to see that boy ever again," Cindy cut in, upset.

"If that was true, why exactly did you kiss him again?" Libby teased.

"Shut up!" Cindy ordered. "You think I don't regret that now?"

"Whoa, sorry, girlfriend. I didn't know it bothered you _that_ much." A grin spread across her face. "You know, now you sound more like your normal self."

"You mean…I act like…_that_?" Cindy eyes went wide in disbelief. Surely she wasn't so rude, was she?

"Well, most of the time, yeah," Libby said. "But you're still a great friend, don't get me wrong," she quickly added.

"I can't believe I'm so…_mean_."

"Ah, it's OK, girl. Don't think about that so much. You're a great person, even if ya do get aggravated a ton," Libby assured her.

Cindy looked at her friend curiously. "Wait a minute_—_how'd you get here? I thought no one was supposed to know about me or something."

"I kinda forced it out of Neutron," Libby laughed.

Cindy grinned right along with her. "I'm glad."

"Um, Cindy? I know ya don't really wanna talk about this, but…I was just wondering… Did you remember anything when you were, ah, smoochin' him?" Libby cringed, expecting Cindy to explode like before.

Instead, there was a long pause.

"Cindy?" Libby repeated.

"Come to think of it, I think I did," Cindy finally said.

"Oh my gosh, are you for real?" Libby asked excitedly.

"Yes. I seem to remember something about_—_a roller coaster?" She furrowed her brow in confusion. What did a roller coaster have to do with _anything_? Then suddenly it came to her. "Oh my gosh," she muttered.

"What? What is it?" Libby questioned.

Cindy looked up at her. "We were about to kiss, but we didn't, did we?" she asked sullenly.

"Oh! Now I know what you're talkin' about! The time we were gonna film that movie!" Libby exclaimed excitedly. Cindy had remembered something! She really had! Wait til she told Jimmy! "And, to answer your question, no, you didn't," she added.

"That's what I thought," Cindy whispered. So she _had_ liked him before. But, as she had concluded today, he didn't like her back. "He is such a jerk!" she suddenly burst out, causing Libby to jump.

"Well, maybe I should get going now," Libby told her uneasily, getting up off of the bed. "I hope you feel better soon."

There was no response.


	8. The Threat

_Wow, lookee! Another chapter! Also, a note to all of you people: in case you were wondering, the reason this story has less chapters on here than it did on Nick is because I had to shorten the chapters down to post them on Nick. Just wanted to clear that up._

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Disclaimer:**

No, I don't own Jimmy! How many times must I keep saying this? Can't you see it's tearing me apart?! 

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**Chapter 8: The Threat**

"She's mad at you."

It was later that evening, and Libby was talking to Jimmy over the speakerphone in his lab while he worked on a project. But for some reason, even playing around with images of Betty Quinlan on his computer didn't make him feel any less awful.

"Jimmy?" she asked when there was no response.

"Tell me something I don't know," he sighed.

"What did you do to her?" Libby demanded.

"Nothing! At least, I don't think…" Jimmy's voice trailed off.

"Boy, you never think!" Libby exclaimed. "She went from lovin' you to hatin' you in an afternoon. Somethin's up. Spill."

Jimmy bit his lip. Could this possibly have anything to do with…? "Do you think it's because I didn't answer her?"

"What do you mean? Answer her when?" Libby questioned, a bit confused.

"When…" Jimmy hesitated. "When she said I hated her."

"What?!" Libby shrieked, causing Jimmy to flinch. "You didn't answer? You didn't tell her that wasn't true?"

"Um…no?"

"You are such an idiot!" Libby accused.

He cringed. "So what do you want me to do?"

Libby rolled her eyes. "Go to the hospital tomorrow and tell her you're sorry."

"But what if she doesn't forgive me? Then she won't let me help her anymore!" Jimmy suddenly realized.

"You shoulda thought of that _before_ you walked outta the room."

Jimmy could almost see Libby shaking her head at his stupidity. He slapped his forehead. Libby was right, he _was_ an idiot. _At least when it comes to females_, he thought. "I'm gonna go, Libby."

"Alright, but I'm warnin' you, Neutron. You better fix this mess or I'll kill you since messed-up Cindy can't do it herself!" Libby threatened.

"OK, OK! Sheesh!"

* * *

Jimmy awoke early the next morning to Goddard's ear phone ringing. 

"Phone, boy," he mumbled groggily, holding out his hand. Goddard did as instructed.

"Hello?" Jimmy yawned into the mouthpiece.

"J-Jimmy?" someone whimpered on the other end.

"Uh, yeah, who's this?" With his free hand, Jimmy wiped the sleep out of his eyes and sat up.

"It's Cindy." Suddenly she burst out crying.

"Cindy, what's wrong?" Jimmy asked frantically, now wide awake.

"Please—I—I _need_ you, Jimmy," she sobbed. "I'm scared."

"I'm coming, Cindy, I promise!" He was immediately out of bed and on his way to the hospital.

* * *

"You gotta let me in, Kaylee! I don't _care_ if visiting hours haven't started yet!" Jimmy was determined to find out what was wrong with Cindy, and he wasn't about to let anyone stop him. 

Kaylee smiled at him kindly. "You really do care about her, huh?" she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Of course I do! Just let me _in_!" Jimmy demanded, not realizing what he had just agreed with.

"Alright," Kaylee gave in. "But if anyone asks, it wasn't me who allowed you."

The second the words were out of her mouth, Jimmy was in Cindy's hospital room and by her bedside. "Cindy, are you OK?" he whispered.

When she sat up to face him, her hair was a mess, her face pale, and her eyes red from crying. "I was afraid you wouldn't come," she said softly, her eyes scanning his face in an effort to detect his emotions.

"I would never go back on a promise," Jimmy assured her gently. He sat down next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

Cindy's shoulders began to shake, and she clutched onto Jimmy and cried into his shirt. He flinched, but only as a reflex. "I'm s-so s-scared," was her muffled answer.

"Cindy, please, don't cry," Jimmy choked out. Cindy was usually so confident, so strong. As great as it was to feel like she needed him, it killed him to see her like this.

Still crying, Cindy pointed a finger in the direction of her nightstand. She finally let go of him so he would be able to see what it was.

Jimmy stood up and picked a very heavy package up off of the tabletop. "This?" he asked, examining it. At Cindy's nod, Jimmy slid out a big brick with a note taped to it.

"BANG. YOU'RE DEAD."

The message was spelled out using letters cut out of a magazine. Slowly the rage built up in Jimmy's heart. In just a few seconds, he was shaking in anger. Whoever was harassing Cindy was going to _pay_. And he would be the one to make sure of it.


	9. Mixed Emotions

_Here's another chapter that I hope all of you enjoy. It might be the last until next month, though, because my last day of school for this semester is Friday and then I'm going home! It mainly consists of Jimmy arguing with himself, but I hope everyone likes it nonetheless._

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Disclaimer:**

I don't own Jimmy Neutron. But someday I might!**

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Chapter 9: Mixed Emotions

"Don't worry, Cindy. You're safe here," Jimmy promised her. He sat back down next to her and took her hands in his. "That jerk wouldn't dare to try anything in with all the people in this hospital around."

"Are you sure?" Cindy fearfully whispered, looking up into his gorgeous blue eyes.

"Positive. I wouldn't let you stay here if I thought you were going to get hurt," Jimmy assured her.

Finally Cindy decided to voice the question that had been nagging her for a while now. "Jimmy? Do you still hate me?"

"I never hated you, Cindy," Jimmy whispered. He was shocked that the words had exited his mouth so quickly. _Well,_ he told himself, _I hated the_ old _Cindy. Not the newer, kinder version of her._

"But you said—"

"Shh," Jimmy quieted her.

A calm silence fell for a few minutes, giving Jimmy some time to think about what was going on between himself and the blonde that sat next to him. It sure was strange what amnesia could do to someone's personality. As far as he could remember, Cindy had never really expressed fear before, at least not to this extent. Neither had she expressed this kind and caring side of herself which, for some reason, made Jimmy feel like—

"Did I tell you what I remembered?" Cindy asked abruptly, breaking her visitor out of his daze.

"No," Jimmy said in honest surprise.

"Well, were we ever on a roller coaster together?" Cindy questioned him.

"I don't think—," Jimmy started to respond.

"Because I remembered us sitting in one of the cars, and you were holding me, and then we, well, we almost kissed…," Cindy breathed all at once.

Jimmy's mouth dropped open. "Oh! Um, yeah, I know what you're talking about now," he gulped.

"So, did you want to kiss me _then_?" Cindy demanded, suddenly seeming angry.

"No! I mean, I was only going to kiss you because it was in the script!" Jimmy tried to explain, hoping his answer would calm her down. "It's not like you think, Cindy, I promise!"

"Oh, I'm _sure_ it isn't," Cindy snapped. "Nothing ever goes on between us, does it, Jimmy? I don't love you and you don't love me. There's no romance at all!"

"Cindy, what are you—"

"Oh, just shut up! I hate you, can't you see that?" Tears filled Cindy's eyes, and she buried her face in her hands.

"Cindy, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!" Jimmy exclaimed in bewilderment. "What did I do?"

"Just go away!" With that, Cindy gave him a hard shove, causing him to almost fall off of the bed.

* * *

Jimmy sat on Cindy's pink bedspread in her room and sighed. Why had she suddenly blown up at him like that? He didn't think he had done anything that would've upset her to that extent… Then again, it seemed like he couldn't do anything right anymore, so who really knew? 

Maybe it _had_ been a mistake to hold her in his arms the way he had. But it had—for some strange reason that he couldn't figure out—seemed so appropriate at the time. And then there was the fact that Libby seemed to think the same…

It didn't make any sense. He'd told her, of course, what had happened. It seemed she was the only one who'd take him seriously when he poured out how confused he was with Cindy's behavior. And what had he expected? That she would give him some helpful advice, he would be able to fix everything, and that his burden would be lifted. But apparently he'd set his expectations too high.

It was the kind of thing you'd expect from a girl, he kept reminding himself. All they thought about was romance, it seemed, so it was natural for her to respond the way she had. But still—did Libby honestly think that he could pull this off? Sure, Cindy only looked to be remembering the romantic circumstances that had gone on between them in the past, but he didn't even really know how to be romantic on _purpose_. And did he really _want_ her to remember those times when maybe, just maybe, it'd seemed like they could actually end up together? Normally that would be something for her to forget, not the other way around!

But at the same time, when all these thoughts were brewing inside of that humungous head of his, he couldn't help feel a slight tug on his heart. It had felt so wonderful to hold her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, as if he could have held on forever. And as much as her lips against his had scared him, it had also seemed to soothe him in a strange sort of way.

_No! Don't think like that! This is_ Cindy _we're talking about!_ Jimmy told himself.

But that was just it. She wasn't Cindy. Yes, that was her name, but at this point the name was the only thing that kept her tied down to the image. The image of her fighting with him constantly, never satisfied with anything he did, always wanting to be better than he was. Maybe if she _never_ remembered her past self, they could start afresh, become friends. Maybe even something more than that.

But what was he thinking? What was he honestly telling himself? That he _wanted_ her to love him, and wanted to love her back? That he never wanted her to recover because of it? That wouldn't be right. No, it wouldn't…but it sure would be wonderful.


	10. His Cindy?

_I didn't think I could do it, but somehow I've managed to get you another chapter during Christmas break! Well, happy new year, everyone! I hope all of you had a great Christmas!_

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**Disclaimer:** I think we all know this by now. I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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**Chapter 10: _His_ Cindy?**

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"Whoa!" Libby exclaimed, loud enough to wake everyone in the two-story house. Well, loud enough to wake one person, at least.

"What?" Jimmy mumbled with a yawn. He forced his eyes open and sat up slowly.

_Where am I?_ he wondered, still half asleep. Then suddenly he remembered….

Jimmy's eyes almost popped out of his skull when he realized the horrible truth. He had fallen asleep in Cindy's _room_, of all places.

"That's right," Libby spoke up, hands on her hips. What was she, some kind of mind reader? "And I thought you hated Cindy," she added, a smile playing on her lips.

"I don't!" Jimmy burst out. "I mean, I do! I mean—stop confusing me!"

"Confusin' you, huh? Well, in case you were wonderin', school starts in twenty minutes," Libby informed him. "I just stopped by to check everything out on my way there."

"Pukin' Pluto," Jimmy groaned. "If I go home now, I'll be late. But if I don't, my parents will freak."

"And then there's the problem of what you'll do when Cindy finds out," Libby casually threw in.

"What?" Jimmy asked frantically, eyes widened in horror. "You can't tell her, Libby! You _wouldn't_!"

"Well, it might slip out accidentally…." Libby smiled.

"Please! I beg of you!" Jimmy cried out.

"Come on, lover boy, let's get to class," Libby suggested, purposefully not responding to his plea.

"Call me that again and you're dead," Jimmy grumbled on their way out.

* * *

Later that day, during lunch period, Carl and Sheen were surprised to find Jimmy and Libby sitting at the same table. 

"Libby, do you think you could burn me a CD?" Jimmy was asking as his two best friends sat down next to him.

"Sure!" music loving Libby agreed enthusiastically. "Just get me a list o' songs you want and—"

"Will this do?" Jimmy interrupted, handing her a few sheets of computer paper.

Libby's eyes widened when she read the title of the list.

"What is it?" Sheen piped up curiously.

"Jimmy, did you print this off Cindy's comp?" Libby asked him, ignoring Sheen's question.

Jimmy looked down and mumbled something unintelligible.

"_OK_," Sheen said, a confused look on his face.

"The next thing you know, you'll be askin' me to teach you to slow dance," Libby laughed. "You heard _For My Love_? Cindy used to slow dance to that with an imaginary partner."

Jimmy's face turned bright red.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Sheen asked impatiently.

"Sorry, Sheen. We were just talking about Cindy," Jimmy explained. "I'm still trying to help her."

"And I still don't get _why_," Sheen grumbled, causing Jimmy to roll his eyes. "Which reminds me! Have you found her diary yet?"

"No. And even if I had, I wouldn't tell you," Jimmy added spitefully.

"Oh." Sheen looked dejected. "Hey! That means you mighta found it but you're not telling me!" he suddenly realized.

Libby and Jimmy burst out laughing at their dimwitted pal.

"Hmph," Sheen huffed. "This is no fun. Why is Libby here, anyway?"

Libby gasped in disbelief. "Gee, thanks a lot," she said sarcastically.

"No!" Sheen protested. "It's just that Jimmy's acting like a dork!"

"You know what, Sheen? You can just leave!" Jimmy snapped.

"Fine, I will!" Sheen shot back, standing to his feet. "And Carl's coming with me!" he added, grabbing one of Carl's arms and dragging him along. Carl looked after Jimmy and Libby, bewildered.

"Fine, see if I care!" Jimmy yelled after them. "What a loser."

"You know what? I don't appreciate you bein' mean to my Sheen," Libby spoke up in annoyance.

"Oh, really?" Jimmy shouted, standing to his feet. "Well, I don't appreciate Sheen being mean to _my_ Cindy!"

Libby gasped, and Jimmy paled as he realized that everyone's eyes were on him. "Uh, I mean, uh…."

He buried his face in his hands and raced out of the cafeteria, laughter ringing in his ears.


	11. Back to the Island

_Another update, and this time, I've replied to your reviews of Chapter 10 at the bottom of this page! Thanks for reading!_

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Disclaimer:**

I do not own Jimmy Neutron.**

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Chapter 11: Back to the Island

"Wake up, Cindy," Jimmy whispered loudly as he shook her shoulder. Cindy's eyes slowly opened, and to her shock she found Jimmy hovering above her.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" she exclaimed angrily. "Couldn't you see that I was sleeping?"

"Quiet!" Jimmy told her. "Do you want everyone to know I'm here? Now, get up and let's go."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Cindy demanded. "As if you're getting me to go anywhere with you. Are you out of your mind? I'm in the hospital here!"

"I know that. I'm just trying to help you," Jimmy said with a sigh. There was only one reason she was talking this way to him. "Don't tell me you're still angry with me."

"I am!" Cindy replied indignantly. "So go away!"

"Cindy, please," Jimmy begged. "Just let me help. We only have a few hours, and I promise nothing will go wrong this time."

"'_This time'_?" she repeated incredulously. "Why should '_this time'_ be any different?"

"Look, I know what I'm doing," Jimmy protested. "You have to come with me. It could help find out who did this to you!"

Now that caught Cindy's attention. "Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes," Jimmy replied. "So will you please get up?"

Cindy frowned. "What would Kaylee say?"

"That I won't be helping you anymore," Jimmy confessed, "which is why she can't find out."

"Can't you do it yourself?" Cindy protested.

"Cindy, I don't know anything about this person. You're the one who does. We just have to get you to remember," Jimmy reminded her. Suddenly he thought of something. "It was Libby's idea."

"Libby's?" Cindy repeated. Even if she had momentarily lost trust in Jimmy, she knew for certain she could trust her best friend. "Libby planned this?"

Jimmy paused. Well, she hadn't exactly planned it…but she had put the thought into his head, hadn't she? Wasn't that practically the same thing as planning it? "Yes," he said, even if that wasn't completely true.

"Well, where are we going?" Cindy wanted to know. Sheesh, would she ever stop asking questions?

"It's a surprise," Jimmy responded. Cindy gave him a suspicious look. "You'll see when we get there, don't worry."

Finally Cindy gave in. "OK," she told him. "But if anything happens, I'll never forgive you. And I'm serious about that."

"Does that mean we're cool with yesterday?" Jimmy wondered aloud.

Cindy felt her will suddenly giving way to a different kind of feeling. She wouldn't get what she wanted if she said no. "I'm willing to forget about it if we can just be friends again," she decided. She pulled the hospital blanket off, swung her legs around, and stood to her feet.

Jimmy stuck something underneath the hospital bed and pressed a button. Suddenly a holographic image of a sleeping Cindy appeared on the top.

"Let's just hope they don't realize you're in your pajamas instead of the hospital gown," Jimmy remarked.

"What?" Cindy asked, surprised. "How did you get an image of me in my pajamas?"

"Uh—never mind that," Jimmy said. "Who wants to be invisible?"

* * *

"Ow! Jimmy, you stepped on my foot!" Cindy whispered loudly. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to!" Jimmy whispered back. Once they were in front of the hover car, he turned off the invisible ray and they could see each other again.

"You can let go of my hand now," Cindy reminded him.

"Oh, right," Jimmy blushed, and then reluctantly released it. He helped her up into the passenger seat, and then took the driver's spot. Soon they were up in the air, just like old times. Except for the fact that he couldn't remember a time when they had been alone together like this. Usually Carl, Sheen and Libby were sitting in the backseat.

He landed the hover car on a sandy beach, which struck Cindy as oddly familiar. A few feet in front of them lay two humungous piles of broken wood. "What's that from?" she asked, searching her mind for the answer.

"Oh, I don't know," Jimmy shrugged. "Do you want to go take a look around?" At Cindy's nod, he grabbed her hand once more, and they were off.

To his surprise, she suddenly spotted something and rushed over to it, dragging him along behind her. Then she stopped and lifted up one finger to point it out.

That's when Jimmy saw it. His mouth dropped open in shock, and a stunned silence rested over the two. He knew he hadn't done it, and yet there was only one other explanation.

But that seemed too outrageous…

Because, carved into the tree in front of them, it said:

J+C FOREVER

* * *

_Here are the replies I promised! Don't forget to review this chapter, and stick around for the next one!_

_WAYAMY27NARF: Thanks for the quick response, Amy! I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope there will be good things ahead in 2007 (possibly a whole bunch of new chapters of the story for you to read?)! Again, thanks!_

_starrlightstarbrite: Wow, I love your excitement, LOL! Yes, I feel bad that everyone made fun of Jimmy, but his comment was too cute! As my friend Steph said when she read it, "Jimmy's got it bad. And I enjoy that!" I'm glad that you did, too! Happy new year!_

_acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad that you think so! I never really thought about it before, but I suppose that you're right. Keep reading!_


	12. Recreating the Moment

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

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Chapter 12: Recreating the Moment

"Jimmy, did I…did I do that?" Cindy asked in a hushed voice.

Jimmy's eyes widened. Why would she be asking that, unless…? "Do you remember doing it?" he inquired.

"I…I don't know!" Cindy exclaimed in frustration. "You said we hated each other, Jimmy, but I just don't _know_!"

Jimmy stepped back in surprise at her outburst. What did she mean by the last line? Had she figured it out? Dread crept in and clenched his heart. Suddenly his hopes collapsed. She couldn't know; he couldn't let her know. After all this time, the secret feelings had to remain secret. They couldn't be together. They weren't meant to be together. Why had he brought her out here in the first place? Libby was wrong. This was no way to get her to remember her killer. All this was doing was drawing them closer emotionally…and that couldn't happen. It _wouldn't_ happen.

"Cindy, I shouldn't have brought you here," Jimmy said numbly. "I'm sorry. Let's go back."

Cindy turned to look at him, and her face filled with an unexpected anger. "No!" she yelled, her voice echoing into the emptiness of the island. "I'm not going back!"

Jimmy stared at her in shock. What was wrong? She hadn't wanted to come in the first place; he had practically forced her. But now she didn't want to leave, and he couldn't figure out why. The sense of not knowing frustrated him. He always knew everything, and this shouldn't be any different.

"I want to remember, Jimmy. I _have_ to remember," Cindy whispered quietly. A tear slid down her cheek, and to Jimmy's disbelief, he found himself reaching out to brush it away. Cindy slowly shook her head. "Why are you doing this to me, Jimmy?" she asked softly. "_Why_?"

"Cindy, I don't know what you're talking about," Jimmy said, flushed.

"Oh, but you do," Cindy insisted, feeling more than a little bit aggravated.

"Do you want me to take you back?" Jimmy asked again.

"No!" Cindy exclaimed. "No, I don't. Just show me what you were going to show me. Please."

"But I'm not supposed to get you emotionally upset, Cindy," Jimmy protested. "And it already looks like you are."

"It would make it worse if we left," Cindy told him. "I can't _not_ know what happened here. I can't."

"Fine," Jimmy said. He checked his watch. They still had some time. He wasn't going to hold her hand again, but he could still lead her around the island before it was time to go. "Follow me," he told her as he began walking.

Cindy took a few quick steps to catch up, and then grabbed his hand and squeezed it, which startled him. "Thank you," she said with a smile. Jimmy nodded, but hid his emotion from her. He showed her the cliff where they had jumped from, and the pool of water they had swum in.

"It's beautiful," Cindy remarked when she saw the waterfall.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun, too." His smile soon turned into a frown. "I'm sorry you can't remember it, Cindy."

She sighed. "It's OK. Maybe I will…someday."

"Let's hope it's soon," Jimmy replied. He checked his watch again and decided it was about time. "Come on, there's one last place to show you."

Jimmy sat down on the log and beckoned Cindy to join him. She sat down next to him and tilted her head, wondering what was going on. The sun was beginning to set, and he handed her a small box. "I'm sorry I don't have the original case," Jimmy apologized. "It was probably discarded. But maybe this will still help."

Cindy opened the lid and gasped. Inside, lying on the cushiony material was a big white pearl. "You—you—," she started. She looked up at the sun setting in the sky, and then back to Jimmy. Suddenly she cried out, closed her eyes, and grabbed her head. The images came flooding back like a tidal wave crashing in on her.

"Are you alright?" Jimmy asked desperately, his face etched with concern.

Cindy looked back up and smiled painfully. "I'm fine," she said soothingly. She scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Jimmy wrapped his arm around her, and his worries completely vanished. He didn't care if she found out now. This felt too nice…

"You lied," Cindy said suddenly, breaking him from his thoughts.

Jimmy frowned. "About what?" he asked.

"I don't hate you. I never hated you," Cindy said firmly.

"But, Cindy," Jimmy replied with a frown, "you do. Or you did. I was telling the truth about that." _Although not the complete truth about_ my _feelings_, he added to himself.

"But I think—I might be—" Cindy stopped, but inside she completed the sentence: _in love with you_. "I don't hate you," she said. _I definitely don't hate you_.

"I know you don't. Not anymore. It's a shame we can't forget that you ever did," Jimmy sighed.

"But I _have_ forgotten," Cindy protested. "Can't you?"

Jimmy bit his lip. "I've wanted to," he admitted. "But you have to remember. You have to remember everything, and I have to help you do that. We need to know who tried to kill you, Cindy. If you had been getting threats, why you were out there…everything. Besides, you wouldn't allow this to happen if you were yourself."

"But I don't care about that. And isn't finding out who the killer is different from how I feel about you?" Cindy asked. "Can't I remember that but still forget the other?"

"I don't know, Cindy," Jimmy said. "What if the two are linked somehow? It's selfish of me to want you to—to—"

"To what?" Cindy asked.

"Nothing," Jimmy muttered. He let go of her and stood up. "We should probably go before Kaylee finds out."

Cindy nodded and reluctantly followed him. They were walking for a while, and Cindy found she wasn't able to keep up anymore. She felt a strange dizziness, and then—

_Thud._

"Cindy?" Jimmy turned around suddenly to find her lying on the sand, eyes closed.

"Cindy, are you OK?" he asked frantically, rushing over to her side.

"I'm fine…just…tired," she said quietly.

Using all of his strength, Jimmy lifted her up into his arms to carry her back to the hover car. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered, "Jimmy, you're the best thing that ever happened to me."

And, oh, how he wanted that moment to last forever.

* * *

_A/N: From now on, I'm posting all of my updates here at the bottom, as well as replies to reviews. I think people tend to read them more that way. Hope you liked this chapter, and don't forget to review it!_

_XxDoCxX: Oh, that's OK. Thanks for checking it out for me! I started writing this about a year ago, so it's not quite as good as my recent stuff (i.e. My Happy Ending). I think I improve as I go along, especially with reviewers like you! I'll try to work on it, though. Thank you for telling me what to improve on!_

_WAYAMY72NARF: Jimmy purposely didn't tell Cindy because he wanted to try and get her remember it on her own. Thanks for reading, and especially for reviewing! _

_acosta perez jose ramiro: Thank you! I thought the island would be a good place, and I'm glad you think so, too!_

_starrlightstarbrite: Yes, the J/C FOREVER tree! That's what my penname is off of! It's one of my favorite J/C moments on the show, and I just had to bring it in. Glad you liked it!_

_jimlover54: Thank you! Don't forget to review this one!_

_rohe2geth4evr: Thanks! I've always wanted him to find out, too. I hope this update was quick enough for you!_


	13. What Cindy Wants

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Jimmy Neutron.

* * *

**Chapter 13: What Cindy Wants**

* * *

"Back so soon?"

Cindy turned, startled, at the sound of Kaylee's voice from the doorway. The dirty blonde-headed M.D. stood there, arms crossed and lips pursed.

"Wh—I—I didn't go anywhere," Cindy stuttered. How had she figured it out? Jimmy had taken every precaution to make sure their little outing was a secret...or so she thought.

"Don't lie to me, Cindy," Kaylee sighed, shaking her head. "I know I seem like the bad guy who doesn't want you to have any fun, but I just want you to recover."

"But—but how did you find out?" Cindy questioned, still feeling totally in the dark.

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "I saw Jimmy go into your room, and I heard the whole conversation," she explained. "I'm really not as dumb as I look, although I will say that his invisible ray was a clever idea."

Cindy's eyes grew big. "You're still going to let him help, right?" she asked fearfully.

Kaylee sighed once more and rubbed her temples. "Look, Cindy, I'm not planning on cutting him off from visiting you anytime soon. I think he really is helping you to recover, although some of his antics are besides me," she replied. "I just want you to be careful. I think he might be trying to take advantage of you. He knows you think highly of him, and he wants to be the big hero."

Cindy shook her head slowly. "No—no, that's not true," she muttered, dwelling on the conversation they'd had on the island together. He specifically told her he didn't want to take advantage; _she_ was the one who said she wanted to forget about their rocky relationship and maybe try and get closer.

Kaylee frowned. "I know you don't want to believe it, but just be careful. I don't want to see you hurt emotionally—you've been through enough already with your physical injury."

* * *

"James Isaac Neutron!" 

Boy, was he in trouble or what. He had completely forgotten he hadn't come home the night before, and then he had taken Cindy out to the island. He hadn't seen his parents since yesterday morning!

"We've been worried sick about you! Where have you been?" Judy Neutron interrogated him.

"I'm fine, Mom," he assured her.

"That doesn't answer my question."

Jimmy swallowed. What should he tell her? The truth? That he had fallen asleep in Cindy's room, went to school, and then was with Cindy the whole time after that? But what would it sound like? That he was so obsessed with Cindy that he couldn't stand being away from her? After all, he couldn't tell her about the incident that had caused Cindy to suffer from amnesia. He'd already told three people after he wasn't supposed to. Oh, boy, was he caught in a tight trap.

"I was at Sheen's house, Mom," Jimmy lied.

"Nice try, but I called both Sheen and Carl's houses and talked to their parents," Judy said. Her voice shook. "I almost called the police, but your father talked me out of it. He said you'd be fine. So where were you?"

"Cindy's," Jimmy said quietly.

"_Cindy's_?" Mrs. Neutron repeated incredulously. "You expect me to believe that? What, is there some recent affection between you two or something?" She laughed.

"I'm not lying," Jimmy protested. "I fell asleep at her house, went to school, and then took her somewhere afterwards. I'm sorry I didn't call you, but I really am OK."

"So, what's going on between you that I don't know about?" she questioned. "Jimmy, this is unbelievable. There is no excuse for your behavior. I never thought I'd have to say this, but you are grounded from seeing Cindy for one week, except for when you're in school. Do you understand?"

"No, Mom, you can't!" Jimmy exclaimed. "Anything else right now, please!"

"Jimmy, what's gotten into you?" his mother asked in surprise. "You couldn't stand the girl, and now you're in love with her? This makes absolutely no sense."

"I'm not in love with her! I know this doesn't make sense, Mom, but there's a reason I have to be with Cindy, and I'm not allowed to tell you. Will you just trust me?" He looked up at her pleadingly. "Please?"

"You tell me what's going on this instant, young man," Judy said firmly. "No buts about it."

Jimmy sighed. It seemed there was really no way out. "I was in the park the other day, and I saw some cloaked guy raise a shovel over Cindy's head. I yelled at him, he hit her on the head with it, and then he ran away. I called 911 and an ambulance came to take her to the hospital. She's there with amnesia, and the police are trying to figure out who did this to her. I'm helping."

"Oh, Jimmy, why didn't you tell me sooner?" his mom cried out.

"It's extremely confidential, and the police said I wasn't allowed to tell anyone," Jimmy explained. "That means now you can't, either. Not even Dad. Promise?"

"I promise. But you still should've called us," she scolded. "Instead of being grounded from Cindy, you're grounded from TV. Fair enough?" Jimmy nodded. "All right, now go see your father so he knows you're OK."

* * *

Libby entered Cindy's hospital room and found her friend in a very confused and depressed state of mind. "Cindy," she greeted her in concern, "what happened to you?" 

Cindy smiled weakly at Libby. "Well, it's not your fault. Jimmy and I did just what you planned."

"_Excuse_ me?" Libby asked in disbelief. "What plan? I never planned anything with him."

Cindy's eyes grew wide. "What?" she gasped. "But he said that you wanted me to go!"

"Go where?" Libby shook her head. "You're gonna have to start at the beginning, Girlfriend."

"Well, I was still mad at him, but Jimmy came by today anyways and insisted I go with him somewhere. He convinced me by telling me that it was your idea," the blonde explained.

"I did nothing of the kind!" Libby insisted. "Where did you go, anyways?"

"An island..." Cindy laid back on her pillows and sighed deeply. "It was so romantic. He gave me a pearl and we watched the sunset together..." She trailed off, a dreamy look on her face.

"The island!" Libby exclaimed in amazement. She let out a low whistle.

Cindy perked up. "What do you know about it?"

"Well, you and Jimmy got in a fight over whether or not the equator was visible—"

Cindy burst out laughing. "Jimmy thought the equator was visible? Everyone knows it's not! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"Actually, Cindy," Libby said slowly, "_you_ were the one who thought it was visible. Jimmy was trying to prove to you that it wasn't."

Cindy sat in stunned silence, trying to fully comprehend what Libby had just unveiled. "But..." She trailed off with a frown.

"Anyways," Libby went on, "you ended up getting stranded alone together on a deserted island. I had my own suspicions on what happened there, 'specially after I saw that 'J+C FOREVER' thing carved in that tree."

"You saw that?" Cindy questioned, her eyes widening. "So did I. Do you know who did it?"

"Well, I always assumed it was you," Libby replied, "but I wouldn't be surprised if ya both carved it together. Maybe you should ask Jimmy."

Cindy's mind went back to the day before, when she had first discovered the tree. Jimmy's reaction was one of shock, and from the way he had acted, she could guess that the tree wasn't one of the things he had planned on re-enacting. "I think it must've been me," she decided.

"But that's not what was botherin' ya, huh?" Libby guessed. "Ya wanna tell me what's really wrong?"

Cindy's face fell as her mind returned to the previous problem. "It's Kaylee," she confessed sullenly.

Libby was puzzled. "Your doctor? What'd she do?"

"She said that this is all a game to Jimmy," Cindy relayed. "That he doesn't want me to fully recover—just remember the things that _he_ wants me to remember." Her eyes grew misty. "That's not true—is it?"

"Well, what do _you_ think?" Libby wanted to know.

"What do _I_ think?" Cindy repeated. "I don't know what I think! I just—I mean—I wanted so badly to—" She stopped and took a breath to calm down, and then continued, "Libby, Jimmy is the most wonderful boy that I've ever met. I know everyone says that I wouldn't think that of him if I had my long term memory back, but I don't care." Cindy sighed and buried her face in her hands, blind to the door opening right in front of her. "Jimmy Neutron is the sweetest, cutest, smartest, most heroic boy that I've ever met in my life! And nothing can change what I think of him!"

"Wow, thanks, Cindy."

Cindy's head shot up, terrified to find Jimmy standing next to her best friend. "What are you doing? When did you come in? How long have you been standing there?"

"Settle down, girl," Libby said with a smile. "He only heard the last two sentences." She turned to look at him. "I think that was enough, don't you?"

Jimmy, who had been rubbing the back of his neck and staring at his feet in embarrassment, blushed even harder at Libby's comment. "Um, maybe I came at a bad time…," he said.

"I suppose it doesn't matter now," Cindy sighed, her cheeks the same color red as Jimmy's. Their eyes met, and both quickly looked away.

Libby shook her head. "You didn't need to ask for my opinion, Cindy. Looks like you've already made up your mind. As for you"—here she turned to Jimmy once more—"I suggest that you just hook up with her and get it over with. Can't be too hard, can it?"

Jimmy swallowed hard. "Is that what you want, Cindy?" he asked uncomfortably. Silently he wished that he had walked in just two minutes earlier! Who would've thought that he would find Cindy spilling her heart to Libby about him at the exact moment that he entered the room? Apparently he really needed to work on his timing.

"Yes," Cindy declared suddenly, breaking him from his thoughts.

Jimmy looked up at her in surprise and disbelief. Surely he had heard wrong. Never in his life would he imagine Cindy saying _any_ of this! It seemed that hit on the head had done more brain damage than he'd thought. "What—what did you say?"

"I said 'yes,'" Cindy clarified.

"You must not have meant it," Jimmy blurted out. He plastered on a smile. "Right?"

"'Not have meant it?' 'Not have _meant_ it?'" Cindy demanded incredulously. "How could you possibly say that? Did you not hear everything I just said about you?"

"Cindy, I did," Jimmy started to say, "but—"

"Look, I'm gonna let you two work this out on your own," Libby interrupted. Before Cindy could protest, Libby nodded towards her and left the room, leaving Jimmy and Cindy to fend for themselves.

Cindy sighed and shook her head. "You always do this, huh." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Do what?" Jimmy asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Gosh darn it, didn't he realize that made him look even cuter?

"You act all romantic, and then pretend that nothing ever happened between us!" Cindy exclaimed in frustration. She had to admit—it felt pretty good to get that load off of her chest.

"You wanna know why, Cindy? You honestly wanna know why?" Jimmy asked, more than a little ticked off at her accusation.

"Yes!" Cindy nodded vigorously.

"It's because of _you_!" Instantly Jimmy clamped his mouth shut and wished that he could take it back. Cindy became so distraught that it appeared as if she would burst into tears at any second.

"Why—why would you ever think that?" she whispered, eyes glossy. "All I want is—is to take our relationship to the next level."

Jimmy's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. After a few moments of shock, he sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "Cindy, you have to understand where I'm coming from," he told her. "I still think of us as how we were before your injury. Back then you had your reputation to protect. We got close to each other every now and then—and even so it was usually when we were alone—but after that, it was as if it had been wiped from our brains. That's how you wanted it; that's how I wanted it. It would feel"—he searched for the word—"_deceitful_ to try anything else. When you regain your memory, you'll just hate me even more for taking advantage of you. I just don't want to do that to either of us, Cindy."

A tear rolled down her cheek, and she leaned over to hug his neck. "Oh, Jimmy," she sighed, burying her face in his shoulder, "now I _know_ that Kaylee was wrong about you. How could you possibly be so sweet?" She squeezed him harder.

"Kaylee? What did she say about me?" Jimmy asked in bewilderment.

"She said that you were trying to take advantage of me." Cindy pulled her head up and placed her hands on his shoulders. "But, Jimmy, you're _not_ taking advantage of me," she protested. "This is what I want."

Jimmy shook his head. "But it's _not_ what you would want if you had all of your memory back," he tried to tell her.

"How would you know?" Cindy demanded, yanking her arms from his shoulders and crossing them against her chest with a huff. "How _could_ you know what I want? Maybe I should remind you that you're not me!"

Jimmy opened his mouth to argue, and then thought better of it. After a short pause, he finally said quietly, "You're right, Cindy. I'm not."

* * *

**_A/N:_** All right, I've decided to give this story another shot. True, it's not as popular as _My Happy Ending_, and my dad kind of messed up this chapter by not giving me the first part I wrote of it on his computer, but I can't just leave the loyal fans who do read it hanging, can I? I would hate it if someone did that to me, and that would be really unfair to you. And I'm sure you've all heard the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." :) I just hope I haven't disappointed you with this! 


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